Creating a Kid-Friendly Lunch Buffet

This is a post from Crissy Page of Dear Crissy provided by our sponsor Del Monte. This content was commissioned by our brand partner. Such content is not written by, and does not necessarily reflect the views of parents.com.

It's always the same routine when it comes to feeding my 4-year-old and 2-year-old their lunches. I ask them what they would like to eat and then I prepare it for them. I deliver the lunches (made with love) to my small people, and almost invariably, pickiness ensues.

I was really starting think that they simply didn't want to their food because I put it in front of them! That's when I had a moment of mommy brilliance. Maybe they want a little more freedom and the ability to choose the items for their plate.

I decided to create a little lunch buffet for the kids, featuring some of their favorite foods including fruit and veggies, a sandwich and Del Monte Fruit Burst Squeezers and Fruit Cup Snacks.

It's such a simple thing, but, placing a few choices on a mini-buffet in front of the kids and telling them they can choose items for their plates makes lunchtime so much more fun!

They still end up eating mom-approved foods, but, letting them feel like they are more in charge of the lunch process seems to make all the difference.

My kids are pretty picky when it comes to what they will eat, and this lunch buffet really does wonders for making lunchtime a more pleasant experience for everyone involved, including me! Even if your kids aren't quite as particular as mine, they will probably still enjoy mixing up the lunch routine with a fun, kid-friendly buffet.

As you can see, Kara is a huge fan of the Del Monte Fruit Burst Squeezers, and I love them because they contain 1 ½ servings of fruits and vegetables, no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors.

Del Monte Sweepstakes

Starting August 1st and running through September 1st, Del Monte is asking consumers to share a photo of their kids' favorite Del Monte snack: Fruit Burst Squeezers or Plastic Fruit Cups (Squeeze or Spoon?). Stay tuned to the Del Monte Facebook page for more details.

So, parents, tell me---do you have picky eaters? How do help encourage your kids to eat?